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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 898 ..

MS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (3.50), in reply: Mr Speaker, firstly, concerning Mr Berry's comments, add to the budget speech the word "very" - that is, "very fast train" or "very high speed train". It is a tiny bit pedantic, but there was nothing intended by saying "high speed train" rather than "very high speed train". Secondly, regarding Mr Stanhope's comments, I was responding to Mr Stanhope's indicating that he was going to organise a meeting of all interested parties, all the mayors and shire presidents in the area, and that he was going to take a bipartisan approach which was something the Government should have done earlier. Mr Speaker, the point I was making is that that is all done. We have had any number of meetings of all the shires and councils and the interested parties in the area. Mr Stanhope was on radio indicating that the Government literally had not done its homework in that area. Had he checked and been properly informed, which I am very happy to organise for him, he would not have made a fool of himself.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Treasurer): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present, pursuant to section 16 of the Financial Management Act 1996, an instrument relating to the transfer of funds resulting from the transfer of functions between departments. I also present the statement of reasons. Pursuant to section 17 of the Financial Management Act 1996, I present two instruments varying appropriation related to Commonwealth funding. I also present a statement of reasons. Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, as required under the Financial Management Act 1996, I table: First, an instrument issued under section 16 of that Act and a statement of reasons for the transfer, which allows for the transfer of appropriation from one department to another in cases where responsibility for a service or function transfers from one department to another; secondly, two instruments issued under section 17 of that Act and statements of reasons for the transfers, which allows for an appropriation to be increased for any increases in existing Commonwealth specific purpose payments - that is, SPPs - by direction of the Treasurer. These instruments were signed recently and are tabled in the Assembly within three sitting days as required by the Act.

Transfers under the Financial Management Act 1996 enable changes to appropriations throughout the year to be accommodated within the total appropriation limit passed by the Assembly. The section 16 instrument is required to complete the transfer of government business enterprises - GBE - monitoring responsibilities from the Department of Urban Services to the Chief Minister's Department in line with the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 31 March 1998. One section 17 instrument relates to the Department of Justice and Community Safety. The department's appropriation relating to the Commonwealth grant for weapons compensation has been increased to allow for

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